Vacuum cleaner



F. K. STORM, JR

VACUUM CLEANER Oct. 3, 1950 s Shet-S-Sheet 1 Filed March 2'7, 1948 INVENTOR.

TAR 5 4m 0 K A 5 E,

Oct. 3, 1950 F. KJSI'ORM, JR 2,524,117

7 VACUUM CLEANER 1 File c} March 27, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,524,117 VACUUM CLEANER Frederick K. Storm, J r., Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 27, 1948, Serial No. 17,462 (01. 183-37) 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to suction cleaners in general. More specifically, the invention comprises the provision of an improved suction means for use with both closed-circuit and open-circuit suction cleaners.

Suction cleaners of both the open-circuit and closed-circuit types have heretofore been provided. Gne of the more recent proposed. suction cleaners of the closed-circuit type is-illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 618,210, (now Patent No. 2,475,808, issued July l2, 1949) and the present invention has been developed to provide a blower or fan-assembly that will afford a greater suction than the fans heretofore used. It is, of course, important that a suction cleaner be as compact and selfccntained as possible in order that the cleaner may be used for cleaning under objects, such as chairs, beds and the like. This has been accomplished to a great extent by positioning a motor, fan and air filter in alignment, in horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending relationship. This materially reduces the height of the vacuum cleaner, which height is greatly dependent upon the diameter of the fan or blower employed. With the type of suction blowers or suction means heretofore'provided it would require a blower of excessively large diameter in order to obtain greater suction, which would, of cours increase the height of the cleaner. y

The degree of suction heretofore obtained by the known suction means renders the prior vacuum cleaners deficient for certain work. Also, in a great many instances, it is desired to employ a closed circuit cleaner, as for cleaning rugs in a room, and alternatively, ,at other times, it is desired to employ an open circuit cleaner for cleaning draperies, blinds,. ceilings, molding, etc. It is, therefore, an objectof this invention to provide a suction cleaner having a blower that uniformly and, as a result, the entire suction cleaner was aerodynamically unbalanced, one side carrying a greater volume of air than the other. This difiiculty has been pronounced in closed circuit cleaners of the type shown in my prior Patent No. 2,475,808. .Thepresent. invention provides a multistage blower or fan which not only generates higher suction and a larger volume of air in a very compact space but also includes means whereby the air is distributed equally and with greatest efficiency throughout the effective brushing or cleaning zones of the cleaner.

An object is to provide suction means that will produce a greater suction than those heretofore provided without increasing the dimensions of the suction means over prior suction means.

Another object is to provide a suction cleaner so constructed as to permit the use of a number of different types of air filters and, therefore,

render the cleaner capable of wider use than sim-.

ilar cleaners heretofore provided.

A further object is to provide an improved suction means for cleaners that will more efficiently and effectively direct the air through the cleaner in such a manner as to increase the efficiency of the cleaner.

A still further object is to provide a cleaner having the above characteristics that will be durable, efficient in operation, easy to operate and which can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

The above and other objects will be made apparent throughout the further description of the invention when taken in connection'with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts. It is to be understood that the drawings are not a definition of the invention but merely illustrate certain forms by means of which the invention may be effectuated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a suction cleaner embodying the invention, the motor, fan and air filter being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the suction means embodying the invention.

Fig. 4 is .a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken along the line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a detailed elevational view of the discharge end of the suction means embodying the invention.

Fig. 9 is a partial vertical sectional view illus- 5 trating another embodiment of the invention, the

motor, suction means and filter being shown in elevation.

Fig. 10 is a Vertical sectional view of the filter shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1D illustrating still another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the present invention is illustrated in connection with the general construction Qfth? suction cleaner illustrated and described in my aforementioned copending application, which construction includes a base, represented in its entirety by I, the frontal portion of such base having upstanding sides 2 an upwardly curved front edge portion 3, and a transversely extending, horizontal, sweeping port 4.

The base I may be provided with an upwardly inclined portion 5 leading to a vertically disposed step 6, the base then continuing rearwardly in a virtually horizontal plane, as indicated at 1'. Suitable supporting wheels 3,, 9 and ii]. may be provided. The wheels 8 and Ill may be midway of the sides of such. base, whereas the wheels 9 may be. positioned adjacent the sides of the base.

The housing is suitably attached to this base and may include a rearwardly curved front portion II, a. substantially horizontal top l2, and rearwardly extending sides l3 and I4, these sides curving upwardly and inwardly so as to form a rounded rear portion, generally indicated at 5. This rounded rear portion [5 may be separated from, therestof the, housing and be parted therefrom along a. line of juncture, generally indicated at It. Moreover, this rounded rear portion l5 may be connected. to a bottom ll adapted to rest upon or interlock withv the rearward extension I ofthe base. I.

The bottom, 11 may be provided with an upstanding frontal lip 18, adapted. to, abut the step 61formed in the base L The portions I5, I! and [,8 may constitute a dust-collecting chamber which may be removably connected to the rest of thedevice in any suitable manner.

The vacuum cleaner is provided. with a pair of horizontally extending, substantially parallel, transversely spaced duct means, through which the dust-laden. air from the sweeping port 4 is carried intothe dust-collecting chamber 20, located at the rear of the vacuum cleaner. Such ducts are generally indicated at 2! and 22. These ducts 2i and 22,. are separated from the return ducts 24; and 25 by virtually horizontal, transversely extending partition members 26 and 21. The frontal portion of the partition members 25 and 2,1; merges above the sweeping port 4 into a downwardly and rearwardly curved edge portion 28 spaced from the upwardly curved edge portion 3 of the base and the front housing I l.

The rearward edges of these virtually hori- Zontal transversepartitions 26 and 2'. merge with or are connected to a substantially Vertical transverse partition 25 positioned to divide the greater portion of the dust-collecting department from the remaining interior of the cleaner. As will be noted, the partition 29 does not extend all the Way to the bottom I! of the dust-collecting chamber 20.

The transverse partition 29 is provided with a port 30 in axial alignment with the motor 3|, over which a suitable air filter or air cleaner 32 may be removably attached, as, for example, by means of a bayonet joint fitting 33.

The lower suction ducts 2| and 22 are separated by a. motor-mounting block 3.4. and form two separate passageways.

The motor is arranged to drive the suction means, represented in its entirety by 35. The suction means 35, later to be described, is provided with an axial inlet cooperating with the port in the transverse partition 29. The motor 3|, suction means 35 and filter 32 are, therefore, in alignment and are centrally positioned with respect to the side walls of the cleaner.

The'suction means 35 may be termed a twostage blower and consist of a housing, represented in its entirety by 39. The housing 39 may be cylindrical in shape and provided with a frontside wall 41 and a, rear side wall 42. The front side wall 4! is provided with a port 40, through which one end of the motor 3| extends. The front side wall 4| may terminate in an annular flange 43' at the port 40, which flange 4.3. is adapted to receive and support one end of the motor 3|, the annular band 43 and the opn in sur ac o h m or h in being sealed in any suitable manner to form an air-tight connection, The shaft 44- of the motor 3! extends into the.- housing 39, the latter being concentric with the motor shaft 44. Drivably mounted on a, shaft 44 are spaced impellers 31 and 3.8. TheirnpellersS'l and, 38 are separated by stationary vanes 45.

Each of the impellers, 3.1- and 38 consists of a pair of circular plates 46, and 4-7. These plates are held in rigid fixed relation and separated by a plurality of curved vanes 48 (see Fig. 5). The plate, 41 of each of, the impellers Bl and 38 isdrivably connected, to the shaft 44, as shown at 5| and 52. The stationary vanes consist of a similar pair of plates 53- and 54. The plate 53, of the vanes, 45, is of greater diameter than the plate 54' and forms a partition dividing the housing 39. into two compartments, indicated at 55 and 5B; Theplate 5,4 of the stationary vanes 45 is provided, with a, central opening 50 for receiving a bearing 51 mounted on the shaft 44 and positioned between the plate 41 of the impeller} 38, the bearing 5'! being rotatable within the opening. 50. within the plate 54 of the stationary vane 45. The plates. 53 and 54 of the stationary vanes 45 are held in rigid spaced relation by curved vanes 58- (see Fig. 6).

The vanes 5&3v of the stationary vanes 45 are curved in the opposite. direction, to the vanes 48 in the impellers 3.1 and 3B, the purpose of Which will be later understood. The rear side Wall 42 of the. housing 39, is. provided with a port [ii of substantially the. same diameter as the suction outlet of theair filter 32. Each of the plates 46 of, the impellers 37 and 38 and the plate 53 of the. stationary vanes. 45. are provided with central ports. 63, 84, and 85, respectively, of the same diameter as the port 6! in the rear side wall 42. of. the housing 39.

As the. motor rotates, the impellers 3! and 38,will be. driven. in the direction of the arrow H, indicated in E ig 5. The air will be initially drawnfrom the filter 32 by. way of port 62, port SI and port 54 into the impeller 38. The impeller 38 will operatetodeliver at its periphery a flow of. air, in thedirection of the rotation of the impeller. The air delivered, at the periphery of the impeller 38 will have comparatively high velocity and comparatively, low pressure. This air will strike the oppositely disposed vanes 58 in the stationary vanes 45-and1 will be forced downwardly and inthe opposite direction as indicated by the vanes. 5 8,in view of the plate 53 partitioning the: two; compartments 55 and 58. As the air is forced downwardly through the re- The air is then discharged into the annular discharge compartment 66. Discharge ports 6] and 68 are provided in the forward side wall M of the compartment 39, the discharge ports 61 and 68 being located above the partitions 26 and 21. The resistance afforded by the annular discharge compartment 66 will reduce the velocity of the air and increase the pressure thereof.

Means is provided for metering and directing substantially the same amount of air through the ports 61 and 68. It will be noted from the Fig. 7 that the ports 61 and 68 are not diametrically, oppositely disposed. This is necessary in order that the discharge through the ports 61 and 68 will be above the horizontal partitions 26 and 21, which divide the intake ducts from the return duct.

It is necessary that equal volumes of air at equal velocities be discharged by ports 61 and 68 into ducts 24 and 25, but the radial spacing of ports 61 and 68 is not equal, both of them being in the upper portion and above a plane passing through the motor and fan axis, thereby normally causing an unequal discharge of air through these ports.

The metering means consists of properly placing a pair of vanes in each of the ports 67 and 68. The vanes are curved but are positioned substantially longitudinally of the suction means. The vanes extend inwardly into the annular discharge chamber 66 and outwardly into the passageways 24 and 25. Since the impeller 3? is rotating in the direction of the arrow H, as indicated in Fig. '7, and since the distance between points a and b in the annular discharge chamber 66 is greater than the distance between the points and (1, means must be provided for compensating for the differential between the travel of the impeller between these points. I have discovered that if the vanes are positioned at a predetermined, controlled distance from the impeller, the same amount of air may be directed through the two ports 61 and 68.

This is accomplished in this manner. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, port 68 contains vanes 12 and 13, while port 61 contains vanes 14 and 15. These vanes 12, I3, 14 and 15 extend inwardly into the annular discharge chamber and terminate at progressively lesser distances from the plate 41 of the impeller 31. In this embodiment the proper distances in which the various vanes terminate from the impeller 31 are A andfi", for vanes 12, l3, l4 and 15, respectively. I have found that this doesnot only meter the same amount of air through the ports 61 and 68 but delivers the air to the return ducts 24 and 25 and directs the same toward the sweeping port.

Novel means is also provided for removing the filter 32 and dust-collecting chamber 20 simultaneously. The means comprises a horizontal rod 16 (see Fig. 1), having its inner end rigidly fixed to and axially of the rear end of the filter 32, as shown at 11. The outer end of the rod 16 extends through a vertically formed portion 18 in the rear wall of the dust-collecting chamber 28 and is turnably mounted there- 6: through, asshownat 'l9. Alever 8|, having its lower end pivoted to the free end of the lever 16, as shown at 82, is arranged to lock the rod I6 in rigid, fixed relation with the wall l 5. When it is desiredto remove the dust-collecting chamber 20, the lever 8| may be moved rearwardly to release it from looking position and rotate it counter-clockwise, which in turn. will rotate the filter 32 and disconnect it from its bayonet connection 33; thereafter, the dust-collecting chamber and filter 32 may be withdrawn fro the device as a unit.

Fig. 9 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, wherein the device may be used as a suction cleaner of the open-circuit type. In this embodiment, the dust-collecting chamber 20 and air filter 32 are disconnected from the device and a modified air filter 83 is substituted. The air filter 83 is provided with an identical bayonet joint connection 33 to that employed for connecting the filter 32 to the suction means. The outer end of the filter 83 may be provided with a suction hose 84, the free end of which may be constructed for accommodating conventional suction heads, such as a brush head. The suction tube 84 may be provided with a suitable fitting 85 attached to the outer end of the filter 83 by bayonet joints 86.

Fig. 10 is a partial sectional view of the modified filter 83, the latter consisting of a housing 8'! having a suitable filter 88 disposed therein. It can now be understood that the suction means 35 willdraw dust-laden air through the tube 84, filter 88, into the interior of the housing 87, out through the port 62, through the suction means 35. In this embodiment, the suction tube 84 and filter 88 may be withdrawn from the housing 8'! without removing the housing from its connection with the suction means 35. After the filter has been emptied and cleaned, the same may be inserted and reclamped within the housing 8'! by means of cooperation of the inwardly turned fiange 89 at the outer end of the housing 81 and the outwardly extending annular fiange 9| provided at the outer end of the filter 88, the flange 9| being arranged to lap over the flange 89, after which time the cap 92 of the fitting 85 containing the bayonet joint 86 may be positioned on the end of the filter 83, clamping the filter 88 in position.

Fig. 11 illustrates another embodiment of a as having two cylindrical screens 95 and 96 concentric one with the other and connected to the inner end of the housing 93 by any suitable means, such as shown at 91. y

In this embodiment, the dust-laden air enters I the interior of the housing 93 and is sucked through the filter 94, leaving the dust in the housing 93, while in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, the dust-laden air enters the filter and the dust is retained therein. The housing 93, at its inner end, is provided with a bayonet connection 98, whereby the housing 93 may be removed from the device without disturbing the filter 94.

' Accordingly, there is provided a suction cleaner sions of which cleaner may be readily converted aces-arr from a closed-circuit cleaner to anopen-circuit cleaner, whereby the scope of its use isgreatly increased, with various attachments such as brushes, etc, on the end of a flexible hose such as 84. The suction means is so constructed as to be confined to dimensions heretofore used for less powerful suction means. The present device also devises novel means for metering the return air from the suction means at a proper velocity, pressure and direction. The present device is durable, efficient in operation, comparatively simple in structure, foolproof to manipulate and comparatively cheap to manufacture.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms'of the present invention, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain substitutions, changes, additions and omissions may be made in the exemplary forms shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the-invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner including a housing, said housing being divided toform a removable dustcollecting chamber, a motor, suction means and l, filter located within saidhousing and in axial alignment one with the other, means for removing said dust-collecting chamber and said filter simultaneously from said housing, said means including arod having one of its ends rigidly fixed to said air filter and its other end turnably mounted withinthe wall of said dust-collecting chamber, the last said end of said rod extending through said wall and having a latch thereon for locking the said rod in rigid fixed relation with-said dust-collecting chamber.

2. A suction cleaner including a suction means, a motor having a casing, said suction means including a cylindrical housing, anintake in one side of said housing and a port in the other side of said housing for receiving and encirclingone end of said motor, a portion of said motor casing extending intsaidcylindrical housing, an im pellet" insaid housing drivably connected to said motor; said impeller having a vertical side walladiacentthe end ofsa-id motor casing and form'- ing anannular chamber within said housing, spaced outlets in the side of said cylindrical housingexternally of said motor casing; and curved vanes disposed substantially longitudinally through said outlets andarranged todirect air from said annular chamber at substantially right angles to air flowing from saidimpeller.

3. A suction cleaner in accordance with claim 2, wherein the inner ends of said vanes extend into said annular chamber and terminate adjacent the vertical sidewall of said impeller, eachof said vanes terminating progressively lesser from the vertical side wall of said impeller in the direction of the rotation of said impeller.

4. In a suction cleaner having an external housing, the combination of: a motor positioned within the housing and spaced from the Walls thereof with the motor shaft in a substantially horizontal plane; a suction means within the external housing, said suction means including a cylindrical suction means housing spaced from. the external housing, said suction means housing having aported end wall provided with an outwardly extending flange arranged to receive; encircle and position the motor with respect to the suction means housing; said shaft extending, into said suction means housing and having drivably mounted thereon a pair of spaced, identical impellers; a compression chamber betweensaid impellers, said compression chamber including a partition dividing the said suction means housing into two compartments, the said impellers including curved vanes spaced radially about the axes thereof and the said compression chamber including stationary curved vanes spaced about the axis thereof and disposed in the opposite direction to the said curved impeller vanes.

5. A suction cleaner in accordance with claim 4, wherein the said suction means housing is provided with a second ported end wall opposite to the first said end wall, the port in said second end wall being in axial alignment with the first said port, and a filter removably attached in position over the last said port.

6. In a suction cleaner having. an external housing, the combination of a motor positioned within the housing and spaced from the wall thereof, with the motor shaft in a substantially horizontal plane; a suction means within the external housing, said suction means including a cylindrical suction means housing spaced from the external housing, said suction means housing having a ported end Wall provided with an outwardly extending flange arranged to receive, encircle and position the motor with respect to the suction means housing, said motor shaft extending into the suction means housing and carrying impellers thereon; a pair of arcuate, oppositely positioned air discharge ports in said end Wall externally of said flange; and a filter removably attached to the suction means housing in substantial axial alignment with said shaft.

7. Av suction cleaner in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of the arcuate air discharge ports includes a longitudinally curved vane extending into the space between the said end wall and the impeller.

8. In a suction cleaner: a motor provided with a casing and a shaft extending therefrom; a suction means comprising a cylindrical shell and end walls, one of said end walls being provided with a central port having an outwardly extending flange arranged toencircle and contact the motor casing; a pair of spaced, oppositely disposed arcuate air discharge ports in said end wall externally of said flange; impeller means carried by the shaft within the cylindrical shell and spaced from said end wall; and vanes positioned in each of said arcuate ports and extending into the space between the said end walls and the impeller, each of said vanes being radially' disposed with respect to the motor shaft and longitudinally curved to direct substantially equal volumes of air out of said arcuate ports.

9. A3 suction cleaner in: accordance with claim 8,. including an. air intake. port in the other end wall and a. detachable air filter overlying said last. named: port.

1 FREDERICK K. STORM, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,314,858 Forsberg l Mar. 23, 1943 

